Semper Amare
by J.RdrgzXO
Summary: Photojournalist Elena Gilbert and her crew embark on a year long expedition to research the capital of Iraq, Baghdad. Elena meets Navy SEALs Captain Stefan Salvatore and his team of highly trained soldiers to ensure their time in Iraq goes without a hitch. But what happens when enemy lines are crossed? Most importantly, what happens when Elena and Stefan fall in love? Stelena AU
1. Prologue

**A/N: Here is my new story titled "Semper Amare" which is latin for "Always Love". The meaning of the title will be explained later on but I am honestly so excited to share this story with you guys because it is nothing that I have ever seen on Stelena AU FanFic before! Not that I'm saying this site doesn't have any originality because it most certainly does but this is a story that was inspired by a dream I had after watching "Zero Dark Thirty". I will post the first chapter after this prologue gets some feedback. If it is a story no one is going to enjoy then I won't continue to write it because nothing is more important to me than producing enjoyable material for the readers. Thank you! **

**PROLOGUE**

"I'm sorry Elena, but this is not the life for you." Stefan said sternly. Elena closed the space between them and crossed her arms with just as much fervor. She was wearing a white strapless lace sundress that fell to her olive toned calves and even managed to wear her hair down despite the crazy heat and humidity; but it was all for him, she got dressed up for Stefan. The tension was hot between then and so was the sun that was beating down on both of them as they stood in the middle of the base camp, named Sly-Fox. Elena looked at Captain Salvatore with vacant eyes and a desolate expression.

"Did the last 10 months mean nothing to you? Did we not grow together as one? Jesus Christ, Stefan, you know how I feel about you… why can't you just admit how you feel already? Say those three words and I will promise to stand by you, no matter what. I can stay here, we can start a life together. Just say it." Elena pleadingly pressed while she put her hand on his chest. Stefan took Elena's hand and brought it back to her side. He gazed at her through his forcibly cold green eyes underneath his navy NY Yankees baseball cap.

"Go home Elena." Stefan barely got the words out before he turned to walk away from the love of his life forever.

**ONE YEAR AGO**

"Can you guys believe that they are sending us to Iraq? This is our big break; this it. I'll be the one of the most talked about photo journalists in modern history!" Elena exclaimed to her crew. Meet Elena Gilbert: a 22 year old, fresh out of NYU graduate with a job at the NY Times as a photo journalist.

"Um, helloooo Elena! We all know that my practices as a doctor will come to better use than your silly little photos of deserts and camels." Caroline teased. Meet Caroline Forbes: a 22 year old doctor who is so smart, she finished her education two years before her anticipated graduation and is now a consulting medical columnist for the NY Times as well.

"Actually, you guys are totally wrong. It'll be my work, the soon to be NY Times' leading biologist, that will find a way to sustain infections diseases and illnesses due to dirty water for soldiers and the Iraqi citizens that will get all the recognition!" Bonnie proclaimed. And last but not least, meet Bonnie Bennett: a 22 year old biologist who won the Nobel Peace Prize at just 19 years old for discovering a new disease and finding a way to cure it.

All three of the girls had exceptional talents but the greatest thing about them was their undeniable friendship. Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline all grew up together and followed each other to NYU. They were the best of friends. They congregated to their living room to pack for their yearlong expedition in Iraq for their cover stories.

"Do you think I'll need heels in Iraq? I mean, they have to have some sort of club or bar on base, right?" Caroline asked. All though Caroline was extremely book-smart, she had her blonde moments every now and then. Bonnie and Elena gawked at Caroline with open mouths.

"Caroline, we're going to a country that is predominately Islamic… so no, they're will not be any bars or clubs on base or off it!" Elena stated while rolling eyes. Caroline smirked and shrugged and proceeded to pack her heels and two extra pairs, for Bonnie and Elena of course, just in case.

"Are either of you nervous? 'Cause I sure as Hell am." Bonnie lightly laughed. Elena reached over to Bonnie's hand with kind eyes.

"Bon, we're going to be fine. We'll have our very own team to watch over us. And it's not like we're staying outside the safe zone. You have nothing to worry about." Elena calmly said, "Anyway… have talked to Jeremy at all?" Bonnie looked down to her suitcase and shook her head.

"I haven't spoke to him since we got into the fight about me leaving for a year. I told him how great of an opportunity it was but he wanted to get married and, I mean so do I, but the timing just wasn't right…" Bonnie was heartbroken over her recent falling out with Jeremy. Jeremy is Elena's brother, so it hurts Elena to know her best friend and her brother aren't in the best of places right now. "I'm just hoping he'll show up tonight at the airport to wish me off. I told him he should come, to at least say good bye to you."

"I'm sure he'll be there Bonnie, I have no doubt that he won't show up." Caroline said while Elena wholeheartedly agreed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Captain Salvatore," remarked General Russo. Captain Stefan Salvatore immediately rose to attention and saluted his commanding officer. "At ease Son." Stefan relaxed back into his chair and popped off his navy NY Yankees hat.

"As you know, the crew from the NY Times will be arriving tomorrow at 07:00. I just wanted to make sure your team was prepped and ready for their arrival." General Russo firmly asked. Stefan looked looked at the General with determined eyes.

"Everything is ready for their arrival, sir. We have their rooms set up on base, away from the center, and the men are fully up to date with their profiles. Have you found a code name for them?" Stefan lightly asked. The General laughed and patted Stefan on the back as he rose to leave Stefan's tent.

"EBC, simply yet no one will have a fucking clue to what we're talking about which is exactly what I want. You know that if this gets out, they'll be taken hostage. We can't have that." Stefan earnestly nodded at the General.

"You have my word, sir."

"Hey, uh, Salvatore. How are you holding up?" The memories of that night started to flood Stefan; he could hear their screams even louder now that he had to think about it. Even when he's not thinking about it, the screams are still there.

"I'm doing fine, sir. Thank you for your concern." Stefan faked a smile. The General stood up to leave and Stefan followed suit.

"Get some rest tonight, Salvatore. You've earned it." The General saluted and left Stefan's tent. Stefan walked over to his cot and closed his eyes trying to get the visions and their terrified screams out of his head.

**A/N: So, what do you guys think? We'll get into more detail about Stefan and his team later on in the story if you guys are interested enough! Feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks! **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! Here is the first chapter to "Semper Amare". Hope you enjoy it and as always, please review! **

**THE NEXT DAY**

"Okay guys, is that everything? Bags, all electronics unplugged, heat turned off, and the whole year's rent for Mr. Navaro… which was given to him yesterday morning. Okay, yep, we're ready!" Elena exclaimed as the three girls looked at their bags and around their dark, vacant apartment taking in their last feeling of New York City before they would leave it for the dessert. The girls all walked out of their apartment, sort of dreading the next 24 hours. With an 8 hour time advance in Iraq, their trip to Iraq needed to take connecting flights, they would board at Newark International to Dulles International in Virginia and then drive to Langley Air Force Base to fly to Afghanistan and then drive into Iraq since aircraft is banned in Iraq.

Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline arrived at Newark International at 11:45 AM and then had to wait until 2 PM to depart to Virginia. After checking their bags, the girls went to their gate to wait until they were allowed to board. Bonnie sat rigidly in her seat constantly scanning the airport just in case Jeremy showed up. After a while, Elena noticed it and grabbed Bonnie's hand in comfort while Caroline had her face stuck in the latest VOGUE issue.

"Bonnie, stop worrying. Jer's going to show up, I know it. He loves you, he'll come." Elena said reassuringly. Bonnie sighed a little with a hint of relief and smiled.

"You're right Elena, he loves me and he will show up." Bonnie positively said. Her and Bonnie shared a laugh and then Caroline obnoxiously yawned.

"Man, am I tired!" Caroline said and she stretched her legs out in front of her, "Any one want a latte? We'll be boarding soon, in about 25 minutes to be exact!" Caroline said with excitement. Elena and Bonnie gave Caroline their latte orders and off she went to the Starbucks kiosk. Bonnie shrunk in her seat with a heavy look of defeat on her face. She sighed and covered her face with her hands.

"He's not coming Elena, he's not coming." She said with a muffled voice. Elena began to protest but stopped when she heard the sound of footsteps running towards them. Elena widely smiled and nudged Bonnie with her elbow.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that!" Elena happily said. Bonnie snapped her head up and tears immediately began to fall down her face as she got up and ran towards Jeremy. Jeremy stopped running to embrace Bonnie as she wrapped her legs around his waist happily crying into his neck.

"I thought you weren't going to come! I thought you didn't love me!" Bonnie cried as Jeremy laughed into her hair.

"C'mon Bon, you should know better. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I sleep through my eight alarms." Jeremy laughed. Bonnie placed herself back down on the floor and playfully punched Jeremy.

"Ow! What was the for?" Jeremy whined.

"That was for not calling me!" She hit him again.

"Seriously Bonnie! What the hell!" Jeremy asked with hint of annoyance this time.

"And that was for making me think you didn't love me!" Bonnie scolded. Jeremy pulled Bonnie into a deep kiss and Bonnie immediately melted into him. Jeremy pulled away and smiled. He grabbed Bonnie's hand and walked over to Elena and Caroline. Jeremy hugged Elena and Caroline and Caroline beamed over to Bonnie.

"What did I tell you?! I knew he'd come!" Caroline said with raging confidence. Bonnie blushed and Elena and Jeremy stifled a laugh.

"Calling all passengers to Gate 14 for flight 214 to Dulles International" the overcome stated. Everyone looked at each other with sad smiles.

"Alright, ladies. Take care of my Bon-Bon!" Jeremy dramatically stated with false puppy eyes and pursed lips. "But seriously guys, be careful out there. Call or email as much as possible. I'm going to miss you all so much." Jeremy earnestly said as he pulled all the girls into a group hug. Everyone laughed and said their goodbyes except for Bonnie who waited until Elena and Caroline entered the jet way and boarded the plane before she gave her goodbye to Jeremy. Bonnie passionately pulled Jeremy towards her and planted a firm kiss on his lips for a good 15 seconds. When they both pulled away, they were forehead to forehead.

"I love you Jeremy, I'll see you soon." Bonnie whispered.

"I love you so much Bonnie, please be safe. My biggest fear is that you won't make it home." Jeremy sadly said. Bonnie leaned back from Jeremy's face and widely smiled.

"I promise I'll be okay Jeremy. I've got to go. I'll text you when we get to Dulles and then call you when we get to Iraq. I love you!" Bonnie said as she pulled away and gave her ticket to the stewardess. Bonnie turned around to take in Jeremy since that was the last time she'll physically see him for a year. Bonnie sighed and walked into the jet way to board the plane.

**24 Hours Later: Baghdad, Iraq, SafeZone 4, Base Camp "Sly-Fox"**

Stefan stood in the bathrooms, leaned over the sink with sweat pouring down his face, his heart racing rapidly. Stefan felt more anxious than usual today. It wasn't from his reoccurring nightmares, or from the hellish heat, but because for the first time in 4 years, he's going to have a taste of home. He read all of their profiles the week before and he was particularly interested in Elena. Something about her made her stand out from the rest. Stefan knew he wasn't allowed to get romantically or emotionally involved with any of them but that didn't mean he couldn't get to know them, more specifically Elena. _I wonder what her story is…. What her beautiful brown eyes see in something like this.. _Stefan thought. His dog tags clanked against the porcelain sink which snapped him back into reality. Stefan cleared his throat and stood up straight. He took off his baseball cap and brushed his brown, wavy locks back and readjusted the cap backwards this time. Stefan wore his usual combat trousers, boots and West Point t-shirt until he was on duty. Stefan sighed and walked out of the latrines and into the blazing Iraqi sun. Stefan walked to the mess hall to get water and as he was gulping down his water, a young solider came running up to him.

"Captain Salvatore," The young boy hastily and nervously saluted him. Stefan respectfully saluted him back.

"What's up Zalowski?" Stefan sincerely asked as he took another sip of water. The solider gave Stefan a file and waited until Stefan opened it to continue.

"There's been activity, sir. An abundance of firearms and explosives have been smuggled in. We can't trace where it came from or where it went. Intelligence tells us it's nothing but I don't like the looks of this, sir." the boy stated. Stefan's brow furrowed as he read the file and didn't look up to reply.

"I don't either, Zalowski. We'll just keep a closer watch on the big guys and double up on surveillance and patrol duty. Have you informed the other captains at this base?" the solider nodded, "Good work Zalowski, you can go now." Zalowski went to leave Stefan's presence but got a message on his headseat.

"Sir, ECB is 3 hours out." Zalowski said firmly. Stefan sighed and closed the file and smugly smiled. He pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows.

"Well, Zalowski. Guess we better get ready for them. Thanks, kid. And here- " Stefan said as he threw him a water bottle, "Stay hydrated." Zalowski thanked Stefan and saluted him and left.

Stefan walked to his tent and got his gear on.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"It's not even noon and it's already 105 degrees out there, it's gonna be a brutal day today, isn't it Captain?"

Stefan didn't turn to respond to the gate guard as he approached the rest of his team to welcome Elena and her crew.

"Sure is." Stefan quietly retorted. He walked outside of the base and to give the orders to his team.

"Alright guys, they're 120 minutes out. Michaelson3, Michaelson1, and Harrison, I want a 5-mile perimeter set around camp. I want a sniper and a look out, that means you Donovan and Johnson, facing north on Mount Ford. Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity…. It's been too quiet these past few weeks. Michaelson and Lockwood; go meet them at the border, I want a complete inspection on their convoy and belongings before and after they enter the country; I want two jeeps with you guys, fully armed. Damon, you'll stay here with me to patrol the gate. Am I clear, boys? Don't fuck it up." Stefan said with authority.

"YES, SIR!" The men saluted Stefan and went to their duties. The sand crunched under their heavy boots and their gear clanked together as Stefan and Damon patroled around the base with tension growing between them with each step they took.

"I heard you scream last night, Stef… How much longer are you going to avoid it? It won't bring them back, you know. You need help, you need to talk to someone." Damon said desperately. Stefan looked straight ahead with no expression. Stefan knew Damon was right but guilt consumed Stefan more than anything.

"I'm dealing with it Damon," Stefan said harshly. Damon stopped in his tracks and pulled onto Stefan with force.

"Letting it consume you is not 'dealing' with it. It's time to move on, brother." Damon said as he patted Stefan on the back. Stefan just scoffed with frustration and changed the subject.

"Any news from Katherine?" Stefan asked. Damon smiled widely whenever Katherine's name was mentioned. Stefan appreciated that, seeing his older brother smile. It wasn't often Navy SEAL smiled.

"She's good, keeping herself busy with redecorating the house, again." Damon and Stefan shared a laugh, "She made me a man-cave in the basement, for when I come home. She said it has 6 flat screens and a full bar stocked with my favorite stuff. I can't wait to go home next month, even if it's only for a week." Damon said with excitement. Stefan flashed a smile at his brother and pulled him into a chokehold.

"Don't get soft on me Salvatore" Stefan playfully growled as he kept his brother into a compromising position. Damon yelled "uncle" and Stefan let up.

"Hey now, just because you're the Captain, doesn't mean your big brother can't kick your ass!" Damon said with annoyance. Stefan laughed and then suddenly turned serious. Stefan held his hand up to silence Damon and crouched down.

"_Captain, we've got an black unauthorized vehicle coming in hot. North-East Mount Ford."_ Donovan relayed over Stefan's earpiece.

"Hold you fire, wait until it comes into better view. It could just be a civilian. Look for the signs on the rims." Stefan commanded.

"_Roger that",_ Donovan replied. Damon looked at Stefan with his piercing blue eyes.

"We haven't had any sightings or activities in weeks and then today of all days we get reports coming in." Stefan said in disbelief to himself. Damon's eyes were suddenly filled with suspicision.

"What are you talking about Stefan?" Damon asked. Damon sighed and looked up into the sky.

"I got a report today about an abundance of weapons and explosives. The Suits aren't concerned but something doesn't feel right about this Damon, I can just feel it." Stefan said in anxious tones. Damon pressed his lips in a firm line and nodded with agreements. Stefan held his hand up to his ear.

"_Captain, it's just a civilian."_ Donovan stated. Stefan eased a bit and sighed with relief. Damon breathed out and stifled a laugh.

"Semper Fortis, brother." Damon said and he extended his arm for a fist bump. Stefan laughed deeply and fist bumped his brother.

"Semper Fortis." Stefan said firmly.

**A/N: The next chapter will have Elena's arrival and her and Stefan's first meeting. We also finally meet Stefan's team properly. As if you guys don't know who they are already ;) Hope you guys enjoyed it! **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey all! Sorry it took me so long to update but I hoped you all enjoyed your holiday From now on, the story will be told in third person narrative because I just love how much more insightful the story becomes when it's told through the characters. Here's chapter 2, enjoy and as always, please review **

**Elena's POV:**

Our flight was long and exhausting but once we finally touched down in Afghanistan, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I couldn't wait to reach Baghdad and start my yearlong expedition with my best friends. I would miss home but when an opportunity like this pops up, you just have to take it. This story could be the launch of my career and knowing that this could make or break me genuinely scared the Hell out of me. But for some reason, in the pit of my stomach, I felt exhilarated and content. Something deep inside of me was telling me that this trip was going to be the best thing to ever happen to me and I just couldn't wait for what destiny would have in store for me. I looked down to my Canon 5D Mark II in my hands and felt at peace. For the new 12 months, this device will become my life. I ran my fingers across the lens and smiled. I named my camera Milo and the lens Otis since it's bad luck not to. Milo and Otis was my favorite movie as a child so I thought it was fitting. While gazing out the window of the ARMY truck, I saw some of the most majestic imagery I have ever seen in my entire life. We were cruising along the city limits of Kabul, near the base we had just left, when the mountains of Hindu Kush looked over the city just as the sun began to rise. A gorgeous mixture of orange and blue started to clash together behind the mountains. I had to capture this moment. I asked the driver to stop and he kindly did so. I turned on my camera and got out of the convoy and snapped two or three pictures of the sleepy town being protected and nurtured by the mountains. I sighed and took in the beautiful moment. Bonnie and Caroline were asleep so it was a rather peaceful moment with myself. My thoughts were interrupted by Caroline who was now awake and yelling at me through the window of the truck.

"Elena! Get back in the car right now. We still have to travel through Iran and it's going to take most of the morning. You are wasting time. Let's go." Caroline crankily commanded. I was tired and defeated so I listened to Caroline and got back in the convoy and we were back on the road again. Some time after we had entered Iran, I had fallen asleep and dreamed about what life was going to be like for the next 12 months.

**Stefan's POV:**

"_Captain, it's just a civilian."_ Matt muffled into my ear. I relaxed and slumped down into the sand and smiled from relief. Damon did too.

"Semper Fortis, brother." Damon said as he extended his arm for me to fist bump. I smiled at the memory of how Damon and I would do that every time we would pull off something insane as kids. I laughed at the time a 12 year old Damon had convinced the dog walker in our building to let him walk the dogs for the day and me, being his partner in crime, fully supported this idea because we were never allowed to have a dog. It wasn't until we lost 3 of the 8 dogs in Central Park that we realized we were in deep shit and way over our heads but luckily a pedestrian had found them and kept them safe until we found them. After we got the dogs, we fist bumped and since then, it's just been our thing. Damon was waiting for me to bump back and I happily did.

"Semper Fortis." I said sternly. Semper Fortis is the unofficial slogan for the Navy SEALs, it's Latin for "Always Strong". I think it's quite fitting for us since we are usually given the most dangerous missions in the US Armed Forces.

"So what do you think about these girls that are coming in?" Damon suddenly asked. I looked over to him and he was batting his blue suggestive eyes at me. I scoffed and rolled my eyes while Damon just laughed at me.

"Damon, you know that this life… this career doesn't have any room for relationships. Especially when I've gotten this far." I said honestly. Damon nodded at me and reluctantly agreed because he knew I was right.

"You got lucky though," I continued, "You and Katherine were together way before all of this and I'm surprised to see that you guys had made it this far!" I said with sarcasm. Damon punched me in the arm and grunted. I laughed at his reaction and smiled.

"You just wait, baby brother. One of these days you're going to fall so hard in love you're going to be absolutely blindsided by it. And then I'll be there to rub shit in your face and say, 'I told you so" Damon said with certainty. I stood up from the sand and brushed myself off, I was trying to avoid this conversation because in reality, there was no guarantee that I would be alive tomorrow so how could I put someone into that position? It would be selfish and cruel. I can't fall in love even if I wanted to.

Damon and I were back to patrolling the perimeter and an hour later, Tyler and Klaus radioed that they were ten minutes out. I had regrouped my team to the gate so we can introduce ourselves. As I saw the convoy in the distance, I had a sudden feeling of disconnect and I couldn't help but acknowledge it. I couldn't allow myself to appear friendly because I cannot become attached to civilians because of what happened last time. The truck approached closer and closer and my heart was racing but I remained calm and collected and to fortify that, I pulled on my pair of Oakley sunglasses and became stoic. The dust from the sand was swirling around us when they finally stopped. Tyler opened the door for the girls and the first thing I saw was a pair of long, olive toned legs gracefully exit the truck. My eyes followed her legs to her torso and her chest and finally to her face. Her long brown hair was tied back into a ponytail and she carried a camera around her neck as she looked around smiling at her surroundings. Everything around me became muffled and all I could hear was my breathing and my racing heart. I felt immediately attracted to this girl but not in a sexual way. She captivated me instantly and gravity was pulling me towards her. My heart and stomach were fluttering but not because she was much more stunning than her photo led on, but because she had this aura radiating from her. She seemed like a genuinely happy person and I liked that. It wasn't until I felt Damon nudging me that I realized I had spaced out and everyone was waiting for me to say something. I cleared my throat and stood up straight and began our formal introduction

"I am Captain Stefan Salvatore and this is SEAL TEAM 8." I said gesturing to my men. They all nodded and began introducing themselves.

"I'm Damon Salvatore. Welcomed to Iraq." He said with a small smile. The girls smiled back and looked over to Matt who was next in line.

"Hey..uh, I'm Matthew Donovan, but you can call me Matt." He said with friendly tones, I interrupted him for a brief moment.

"Donovan is a sniper. He is the eyes of the land. If you ever become separated from us, that's the guy you'd want to look for. We'll talk more about safety precautions and all of that later on." I stated. Elena looked at me with curiosity and a smile. I stepped back and let Matt finish.

"I'm Tyler Lockwood, as you already know. I'm also known to be the best chef on base so don't miss any meal times because you'll surely be missing out on some fucking delicious food." Tyler said with confidence. All of the men shared a laugh and the girls giggled too.

"We're the Michaelson brothers," Elijah started, "We got lucky being grouped together and we'll always have each other backs. And we will always protect you." Klaus and Kol nodded in agreement. I saw Klaus smile at Caroline and she sheepishly tucked her hair behind her ear. I could tell something was going to become of those two so I had to watch them closely. Lastly, it was Mark Harrison's turn to introduce himself…. I wasn't a huge fan of Mark considering he happened to think with his balls instead of his brain.

"Hello, ladies. I'm Mark Harrison, anything you _need_… please, don't hesitate to ask." He said flirtatiously and with a wink as he walked over to kiss their hands as if they were royalty. When he reached Elena, he looked at her as if she was a new toy to play with and it infuriated me. I knew exactly what Mark was thinking and I didn't like it at all. I don't know what came over me but I rushed to Mark and pulled him by his tactical vest and dragged him back into formation.

"You don't EVER talk to someone like that, again. Do you understand me?" I angrily whispered through clenched teeth. Mark just half smiled and raised his eyebrows and looked over to Elena again.

"I'm not fucking around Mark. If you so happen to speak another connotation about your dick, I'll be sure to rip it off for you. Am I clear?" I said in a low threatening tone. Mark looked at me and maliciously smiled.

"Ha… yeah, C'ptain. You're perfectly clear." He said in a mocking tone. Damon looked over to me with a slightly gaped mouth and nodded towards the girls. They just stood there with smirks and applauded me. The men laughed with them but I wasn't paying attention to that. Elena looked at me with her caring eyes and mouthed "Thank you", I just pressed my lips into a firm line and nodded.

**Elena's POV: **

We finally arrived at Sly-Fox and I certainly wasn't expecting it to be as welcoming as it was. Captain Salvatore and his team were incredibly welcoming, except for that Mark guy. He was vulgar and inappropriate but it was very clear Captain Salvatore didn't allow that. We settled down into the General's quarters and to my surprise, we actually met General Russo himself. He was very kind and kept telling me how Captain Salvatore has the best Navy SEALs team he's ever seen. That gave us comfort and security since we were in unknown territory. It took us a few hours to settle in and get cleaned up before they made the announcement for dinner. I had taken a shower and dressed in a pair of leggings, my NYU t-shirt, and NIKEs just wanting to be comfortable when Caroline looked at me with shock.

"Elena Gilbert… what are you wearing?" she asked with disbelief. I looked down to my outfit and it seemed appropriate enough. I just shrugged and looked over to Bonnie who was laughed at Caroline.

"We are about to walk into a mess hall full of hot, sweaty, and beautiful soldiers, and you're wearing_ that_?" I placed my hands on my hips and just laughed at Caroline as I walked out of our room. As I was leaving my room, I had tripped over my own two feet and bumped into someone stepping out of the showers.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking," I said with a laugh as I looked up into a pair of glistening green eyes. He had his hands wrapped around my arms to prevent me from falling. His eyes were beautiful and filled with kindness. His brown hair was wet and messy but perfectly messy. He wore nothing but gym short, a pair of sneakers, and his dog tags. His body was perfect, every muscle was defined; he looked like a Greek marble statue. I smiled at him but he let go of me and straightened up.

"Uh," he said as he cleared his throat, "it's okay, just, uh.. be careful next time. I don't want you getting hurt." He said quietly. I nodded and he opened his mouth to say something but walked away instead.

I walked into the mess hall with Caroline and Bonnie and it was like high school all over again. All of the soldiers on base were sitting at their tables eating their dinner and cracking jokes or playing cards. All though the base was incredibly small, there are only about 50 people on base, there was a homey feel to it. Matt and Damon spotted us and waved us over to sit with them at their table.

"So, did you guys settle in?" Damon kindly asked as he scarfed down his dinner. Matt came over with our food for us and we immediately chowed it down. We haven't eaten all day so we were starving. Matt, Damon, and Tyler all laughed at us and we did too. I swallowed my food and wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"To answer your question," I said to Damon, "We did, it's really… nice here. We just wanted to thank you for making us feel so welcomed." I said with sincerity. They all just smiled at us and went back to eating their dinners. Damon's satellite phone began ringing on the table and he smiled widely and quickly answered it.

"Hi Katherine, how are you baby?" Damon said with excitement. Damon was beaming with happiness. He was so different compared to his brother. I feel like Captain Salvatore has tortured soul, I can't imagine the things he has seen but it was also sad that he would let it consume him. Matt and Tyler struck up a conversation with us about life back in the States and if there was anything worth mentioning. Caroline and Bonnie took over the conversation and I slipped away from the mess hall and walked around base. It was dusk and the view reminded me of what I saw earlier. The base was located on a plateau near the base of a small mountain that over looked Baghdad. All though the base was 5 miles away, you can hear the bustling city. I heard a chant and I was entranced. There was a peaceful aspect about it that made me feel relaxed.

"It's the call for prayer," a voice said behind me. I turned around to find Captain Salvatore with a bottle of water in his hand. I didn't even wonder how he knew I was there, I was just happy to see him. I smiled at him and he handed me the water bottle.

"I don't understand how such a peaceful place ended up in so much turmoil…." I said quietly. I heard Stefan's weight shift behind me and then heard him walked over to stand beside me.

He sighed and looked to the city, "Most of the people here are innocent and stuck in this shitty place because they're either too afraid to leave or they just can't. Whether it's due to financial reasons or just their beliefs, they're trapped here. It's our duty to make sure they're safe and to make sure_ we_ are safe, too." Captain Salvatore said. He continued to gaze into the city.

"Everyone here has lost something. It could be loved ones, or our humanity, or just our sanity but we keep going because it's all we can do. When you're in a place like this, you can't take the time to mourn or to reflect on it. You just need to beat on." Captain Salvatore said sadly. I looked at him wanting to say something but I was at a loss for words. He sighed again.

"Make sure you drink that and plenty of it. It gets pretty brutal out here. Today ended up being mild," He stated, "You should go back to your room and get some rest. We have a lot to cover tomorrow. Good night." He said as rubbed my shoulder with his hand. There was a small volt of energy between us when he touched me. I know he felt it too because he dropped his hand and was already walking away before I could turn to him and reply.

**A/N: Oooohh! Already have some chemistry between Elena and Captain Salvatore ;) How many of you guys hate Mark? I know I do…anyway, Chapter 3 will hopefully be posted before the New Year but if it doesn't, I just want to wish you all a happy and healthy 2014! **


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi all! Here is chapter 3 of "Semper Amare" :) The very last update before the new year! I originally had almost 6,000 words for this chapter but I decided to cut it in half and leave you guys on an interesting note ;) Enjoy and as always (and appreciated), please review! **

**Stefan's POV:**

Another restless night has occurred and since I had to be up soon anyway, I thought I would go for a run in the trails. The sun has yet to rise and it was already 97 degrees outside, today was going to be a hot one but that wouldn't put us behind schedule. I'll have to teach the ECB how to deal with the heat, that'll be our first lesson today. I pulled my sneakers on and my usual West Point t-shirt and Yankee baseball cap and out my tent I went. I was watching the dark sand pat beneath my Nikes when I ran into someone, except this time, I didn't hold my balance.

"Oh!" She exclaimed when we collided. I was falling over her and not wanting to crush her, I flipped her on top of me before we hit the ground. My eyes inverted directly into Elena's and she was smiling and laughing breathlessly.

"We have got to stop meeting like this Captain Salvatore!" She exclaimed through giggles. God, how I adored her laugh already, it sounded like wind chimes on a spring day. I laughed too in response as I stood us up together. She brushed off the sand from her clothes and winced a little when she brushed off her forearm.

"Are you injured? Are you okay?" I blabbed out as I lifted her wrist to see her elbow. There was a small cut. I didn't like to see anyone hurt, I didn't want to see _her _hurt. I leaned closer to Elena's cut to make sure there wasn't any sand in it but there was. For a brief second, I forgot that this is Iraq and that there is sand everywhere. That's what being in Elena's presence does to me.

"You have sand in your cut," I said as I examined it close to my face, "C'mon. Let me take you to the infirmary to get it cleaned and bandaged." I said while looking into those beautiful brown eyes. She nodded and followed me. When we got into the infirmary, there was no one to be found. I forgot the time and remembered everyone was still asleep. I went into the supply cabinet and took out rubbing alcohol and gauze pads to clean Elena's cut myself.

"I have to clean it out myself… I hope you don't mind," I said softly. Elena smiled widely and sat on the examining table.

I took her arm gently into my hands and bent it to begin to clean out her cut. When I poured the alcohol on it, Elena winced and I immediately began blowing onto the cut to soothe the burning sensation. Elena immediately stopped and looked at me with a titled head.

"I'm sorry," she said with blushed cheeks, "My dad was a doctor, I should be used to this by now." She chuckled.

"Was? Did your dad retire or something?" I asked nonchalantly to maintain conversation as I finished cleaning her cut. Elena heavily sighed.

"No, he died. My mom died, too." She said emptily. I glanced to her with sorry eyes. She let a tear slip out and she shook her head and smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry," I replied quietly. Elena grabbed my hand and nodded.

"Thank you, " She commented while squeezing my hand, "But it was a while ago. I don't really like to talk about it." She said politely. I nodded and knew to shut up- the last thing I wanted to do was push her away.

"My mom died when I was 17," I started, "She had stage 4 cervical cancer. No one knew about it until she had a few months left to live. I miss her every day." I looked back to Elena's cut to distract myself.

Elena pulled her arm away from me and rested her hand on mine again, this time it was electrifying.

"I'm sorry for your loss Captain Salvatore. If you ever want to talk about it, I'll lend an ear." I liked how selfless Elena was, how she's always willing to help others.

**Elena's POV:**

_Stay cool, Elena! Don't geek out as the most beautiful, kind, and sincere man you've ever met in your entire existence and will meet in your entire exist tends to your cut! _I repeated to myself the entire time I was with Captain Salvatore in the infirmary. Captain Salvatore and I got on the subject on our parents and when he told me about his mother, I genuinely felt sorry for him. I grabbed his hand to comfort him but when I grabbed it, I had this sensational feeling run through my body. While trying to find my words I told Captain Salvatore what he needed to hear in that moment.

"I'm sorry for your loss Captain Salvatore. If you ever want to talk about it, I'll lend an ear." I said earnestly. He smiled and nodded.

"Losing someone close to you never gets easy," He started, "no matter how much time passes, the wound will always be fresh." Jeez, was this guy deep. I got a better sense of philosophy in that sentence alone than my entire four years at NYU.

"You're absolutely right," I agreed, "but at some point, you have to accept it, but not forget it." Captain Salvatore pressed his lips into a firm line. I wasn't sure if I offended him or not but I didn't say anything until he responded. He finished bandaging my cut and sighed.

"This should heal in a few days," He said smugly. I just looked at him with pursed lips. He opened his mouth a little and swallowed his words. I wanted to keep talking to him, to get to know his story but he made clear that he doesn't want to let anyone in.

"What were you doing up anyway?" He asked as he was putting away the supplies and discarding my dirty bandages.

"I was actually going to go for a run," I said while shrugging my shoulders, "It's what I did in Manhattan every morning before I went to work or had class." Captain Salvatore perked up when I mentioned New York.

"You're from the Big Apple?" Stefan asked with a hint of excitement. He looked like a little kid, a cute little kid. I smiled and so did he.

"Technically, I'm from Virginia, but I went to NYU and I live there now. I work for the NY Times." I said proudly.

"That's quite an accomplishment for a 22 year old. I'm from Manhattan myself. Born and raised." He said arrogantly. I just scoffed and laughed at him. He crossed his arms and widely smiled. "Where are you living?"

"Chelsea. Midtown was too expensive and full of tourists – the Upper East Side was way too expensive and just not my group of people- "

"You got something against Upper East Siders?" He interrupted with a raised eyebrow. I shook my head quickly in denial and he laughed. "I'm just teasing you, I grew up in the Upper East Side." That's when I realized that Captain Salvatore was not a regular guy; he had money, old money.

I wanted to know more about him.

"You don't say? What did your family do?" I asked with curiosity. Captain Salvatore gritted his teeth and exhaled.

"My birth name is Stefan Rockefeller. My mother's maiden name was Salvatore and Damon and I legally changed it after she died." He said shyly, "I didn't want people treating me differently at West Point because of my last name." Stefan quickly explained. Deep down, I knew he did it to remember his mother. It was a very sweet gesture of him and his brother. It was also a side he rarely expressed.

"Oh," I said nonchalantly, "I think Stefan Salvatore sounds a lot better anyway. What was it like growing up? I'm practically talking to American royalty!" He smiled widely and so did I. His smile was so contagious.

"Thank you, but my personal life doesn't really matter right now when there's other pressing matters. Maybe next time we can talk about _us._" The way he said us pulled my heart strings. There was a moment between us, it wasn't uncomfortable but there definitely was tension, attraction. Captain Salvatore looked down at his watch and exhaled.

"Well, I hate to be rash, but I really want to squeeze a run in before everyone gets up. You should skip this one out," He commented, "You need to rest, we have a lot to do today and it's going to be really hot out. I wouldn't want you to be dehydrated and exhausted by the end of the day." He said sincerely. I reluctantly agreed; he was right, I should be rested but I wanted to spend more time with him. He waited for me at the door of the infirmary as I jumped down from the examining table so he can hold the door open for me. He really is a perfect gentleman, a little rough to crack but he doesn't have me fooled one bit.

Captain Salvatore walked me back to my sleeping quarters. The walk was silent between us but it was peaceful. He stopped at my room and waved good-bye. I let him walk away but I had to say one more thing to him.

"Wait!" I shouted. Captain Salvatore looked back with his beautiful greens eyes with a gaped mouth waiting for me to say something.

_Well, say something you big idiot! _

"I just wanted to thank you again, for helping me with my cut. Even though it was nothing, thanks again." I said breathlessly. He just looked at me with a hint of disappointment, as if he was hoping I would say something else. He looked to one direction and pressed his lips into a curve.

"Don't mention it, just glad you're alright. See you in a few hours." He said quickly as he jogged away. I watched him turn the corner to leave the base and I just melted to the floor. I hadn't even know this guy for 24 hours and I already felt something for him. I doubt he felt anything back but sooner or later, I'm going to fall for him. I just knew it. My swooning was interrupted when I felt my back given away and I was laying on the floor, face up to a very skeptical Bonnie.

"Elena? What the Hell are you doing? She asked with a raised eyebrow. I quickly got up and just smiled. She looked at me again with squinted eyes.

"Something or should I say, someone, has gotten you all smitten…. Is it that Mark guy?" Bonnie asked with a sensual look. I gagged and Bonnie laughed.

"Ugh, Jesus Bonnie! No freaking way. That guy is a total scuzzball. I'm not 'smitten' by the way, just… interested", I choose my words very carefully so Bonnie wouldn't ask my anything else for the time being. Bonnie glared her eyes at me and just mumbled something incoherent and went to shower. I still sat on the floor, replaying my encounter with Captain Salvatore all over again. His smile, his laugh, they were enchanting. My thoughts were cut short when someone whistled at me.

I stood up to see who it was… it was Mark

"My, my, my. You sure are a pretty girl Miss Gilbert," Mark said sensually.

"Get lost" I just rolled my eyes at him and proceeded to close the door to our room when he forced his hand to stop it. He looked at me with threatening eyes.

"I don't know who you think you are, princess, but you're not home anymore. You better watch your back, you never know what might come up behind you." He said with a wink while licking his lips. I felt genuinely disgusted and a tad scared. I had dealt with creeps like this before in Manhattan but he was right, I wasn't home anymore so I had to definitely watch my back. He stepped back and flashed a devious smile.

"You have a good day now, Miss Gilbert, I'll see you later on" He walked away. I knew he didn't pose as a threat, not with Damon, Matt, Tyler and Captain Salvatore around at least. But I still felt uneasy about it. I felt like he was an impending doom.

**Bonnie's POV:**

I have never seen Elena like that before. She was so uplifted and happy. I first assumed it was because of where we were, what we were going to accomplish but I recognized that look. I couldn't pin point where I have seen it but I suddenly started thinking about Jeremy. I missed him terribly; I spoke with him last night but I still have this feeling of emptiness inside of me. I'm thankful that Elena and Caroline are with me, without them, I wouldn't have been able to commit to this trip, but I still miss the love of my life. I wish Jeremy was here with me, enjoying this experience with me. I knew of the roles we had to play but my desire, my_ love_ for him triumphed that.

And then it hit me: that's the same look I have when I think about Jeremy. I knew it was too soon for Elena to admit to anything but it's there, buried deep inside of her, waiting to be ignited with the right words by the right guy.

Elena Gilbert was falling.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: First and foremost, I just want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews! It means so much to know you guys are enjoying this story : ) It's definitely exhausting to write but it's you and your positive reviews that keep me going : ) Thank you once again. This entire chapter will be written in Stefan's point of view, don't you just love Stefan in this story? He's truly an incredible guy, it's just going to take some time to show that ;) Enjoy! **

**Stefan's POV:**

The base was awake and everyone was groggily leaving their cool beds to brace the day. Today will be an important day; we're teaching ECB how to manage the Iraqi life. It wouldn't have even been an option if they were only visiting for a week or so but a twelve-month stay is a critical one.

My encounter with Elena this morning was nice…. _Nice? _What am I kidding… It was amazing. Something about her makes it easy to talk and easy to feel. I have a lot of feelings but it's just not in my place to express them. Navy SEALs are supposed to be the baddest of the bad, the toughest of the tough. We can't get soft. I can't get soft. I love my team and I love my country but something about Elena just makes me forget all about that. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but it's not a good thing either. My duty as Captain is to protect my guys, protect the civilians, and complete the mission all at once. I can't let my emotions get in the way.

Damon walked up to me with a wide smile on his sweaty face.

"Hello brother, nice morning isn't it?" Damon asked with a laugh. I just sighed and firmly nodded.

"Well, what's up your ass?" Damon asked with offense. I shot him a glance and he winked at me. "C'mon Stefan, smile once in a while, it'll do you some good." Damon said as he patted my back. I looked at him and creepily grinned with wide eyes and he scowled at me.

"Oh, never mind! You look even uglier when you smile!" He said with disgust. I punched him in the arm and he began wrestling with me. Damon was the top wrestler in the East Coast, everyone knew not to mess with him but I was feeling bold today. Plus, he called me ugly. Damon and I were now wrestling in the sand and all the soldiers circled around us while hollering and clapping excitedly.

"I've got 5 on Salvatore!" Klaus called out.

"Which one?!" Damon and I yelled back. Everyone just laughed and we continued wrestling until I heard someone made their way to our pit of boyish foolery.

"What's going on?" She asked in a concern voice.

"Oh hey, Elena! They're just wrestling, for fun. It's harmless." Matt replied back. Elena just nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear and watched us intently. I got a little cocky and pinned my brother's shoulder down and Damon did not like that one bit. He flipped me over and grabbed my bad leg and started twisting it in a compromising position.

"Damon!" I yelled out. He didn't stop, he wouldn't stop until I said the embarrassing word, "uncle".

"Say it Stefan! Or else I'm not stopping!" He laughed. He applied more pressure to my leg and I yelped out in pain. Damon immediately stopped when he realized that it was my bad leg. Everyone around us was silent except for Elena.

"Oh, my god! Someone go get help! He's hurt!" She ran to my side and examined my leg with tender fingers. I just laughed a little out of disbelief. Elena looked at me and then down to my leg with a frantic expression.

"Captain Salvatore, are you okay? I don't see any muscle protrusions or breaks… WHY ISN'T ANYONE SENDING FOR HELP?!" she said frantically yelled. I grabbed her hand to stop her from shaking.

"Hey. Hey, I am fine. It's just my bad leg. See?" I calmly said as I showed her my scar, "I'm alright. Damon just was being a little too rough." I chuckled and Elena looked at Damon and I with an angry expression.

"You guys should be more careful," She huffed as she got up to walk away, "Someone could get really hurt." Damon leaned back a bit and just looked to Elena and I as she walked away. Damon opened his mouth to say something but I kicked his shin and shook my head. Damon shrugged his shoulders and helped me get up.

"That was weird," Damon said suspiciously. I looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"It's weird that she was concerned about my safety? Thanks a lot Damon." I said with disbelief. Damon just remained intrigued and shook his head.

"Not that Stefan, it was the way she freaked out. She looked like she was crying when she left." I didn't even realize that Elena might have been crying. But why would she cry? _Why would she care? _I gritted my teeth and sighed.

"I guess I should go check up on her," I commented nonchalantly. Damon nodded.

"Yeah, go ahead, I'll get the guys ready and we'll set up. See you in 5" Damon jogged away to the opposite side of the base and I walked Elena's room to find her.

I knocked on their door when Caroline answered.

"Oh! Hi Captain Salvatore, we'll be right out. Just finishing getting ready" She said cheerfully. I nodded and slightly smiled and quickly looked into the room to see if Elena was in there, she wasn't.

"Be ready in 5" I commanded as I walked away to find Elena.

It was almost time to meet up and Elena was nowhere to be found. When I was approached by Caroline, Bonnie and the rest of my team, I noticed Mark was missing. I was immediately filled with worry; Damon picked up on this and pulled me aside.

"What's wrong, Stef?" He whispered urgently. I just shrugged my shoulders and replied with "nothing". He let it go but kept an eye on me as I started the training speech.

"Uh," I cleared my throat, "Good morning all. I hope you're all well rested because today is going to be a busy day. We're going to go over the safety precautions, drills and-," My announcement was interrupted when I saw Elena and Mark walking to the group, together. I was pissed. Not because they were late but because Elena and Mark were _smiling _at each other. I was filled with disgust and anger but mostly jealousy. "Excuse me," I yelled loud enough for both of them to hear, "You are late." I said coldly. Elena looked at me with sorry eyes and Mark just snickered. "Do you think this is funny?" I shouted again but with more force. I looked over to Elena and barked at her. "Do _you _think this is funny? Your life depends on this. Being late to something like this is inexcusable." Elena just bowed her head in shame and Mark smirked again.

"Aye, Captain. Relax, will ya? It's not a big deal, you were just starting." He said casually. I marched over to him and grabbed his shoulder. Elena stepped back and looked worried.

"No, I will NOT relax. I think you forgot who you are speaking to sometimes, Harrison." I whispered aggressively. Mark looked at me with anger.

"Get your hands off me, Salvatore. You don't know what you're messing with," He said threateningly. Ha. How wrong he was. I took my hands off of him and just glared him down for a good minute. Mark just laughed and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Fuck you," He shouted in my face. It took every cell inside of me to not punch him square in the face but I remained composed. I seethed but I didn't show it.

"Get back in formation," I ordered. Mark went to join the others while Elena stayed back. I looked at her with disappointment because that's how I really felt. I was disappointed in her for involving herself with a scumbag like Mark Harrison. She could do better than him.

I walked back to the rest of the group and Elena followed behind. I got in front of everyone and Elena stood beside Bonnie and Caroline. Bonnie and Caroline shot a jarring look at Elena and she frowned a little. I brushed it off for now and continued my speech.

"As I was saying," I said roughly while glancing at Elena. I didn't do it intentionally but I felt spiteful, "Today we're going to teach you everything you need to know to endure life here for the next 12 months. We're going to teach you some native phrases, how to shoot a gun, and everything in between. We only have today to do this since tomorrow, we head out into Baghdad to you girls can get a start on your stories." They looked at each other excitement but Elena still looked ashamed. I kind of felt bad but I needed to correct them. "I'm going to partner you guys up with two of my men so you can quickly and safely learn everything. Elena," I started to say, "You'll be with Elijah and Matt", I originally paired Elena with me but I think it's best I distance myself from her from now on, "Bonnie, you'll be with Damon and myself. And Caroline, you'll be with Klaus and Tyler. Okay, that's all. We'll meet back here at the end of the day." They all nodded and went into their groups. Elena lagged behind and waited until I had a moment to speak to me.

"Hey," She started. I turned around to look at her, "I'm sorry I showed up late," She sad sadly. I nodded and turned around to walk away again.

"You didn't have to be so mean to him," She said quietly. I stopped in my tracks and turned around. What I wanted to say was, _Elena, he's not good for you, he's bad news, I wasn't trying to hurt you. I don't want him to hurt you._

But what came out was, "Don't tell me what to do. I am the Captain. What I do and say to my men is none of your business." I turned around to walk away. My heart felt so heavy, how could I have said that to her? I was hurt by the fact that she was defending him and that she was with him….. This is what happens when you let your emotions get in the way. I decided right then and there to strictly have no relationship with Elena Gilbert ever again.

**A/N: I had to cut this chapter short because I am falling asleep as I was typing! Lol. I will update within the next two days and we will venture into Baghdad ;) Hope you enjoyed and please review! It's always appreciated. **


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey all! Sorry for the lack of updating! I just wanted to make a note about how the story update will go: I will update every **_**Wednesday**_** from now on - With the semester beginning in a few days, it'll be a little difficult to update every couple of days since my priority will be my course work. I WILL NOT abandon this story; writing is my one escape from reality so please just be patient with me for the next few weeks as I get adjusted to the spring semester. Anyway, some of you were a little upset by the way Stefan treated Elena…don't be! There is A LOT more to Stefan's story than we know, give him some time :) With that being said, I just wanted to thank you all for your wonderful reviews, I'm so glad this story is becoming so well liked. Enjoy! And as always, please review as it is extremely appreciated :) Follow me on twitter for updates or just to chat JRdrgzXO**

**Stefan's POV:**

The day ended and everything went off without a hitch. Bonnie and Caroline were surprisingly well with a gun but Elijah gave me a report that Elena refused to fire it off and even get near it…. I decided to skip dinner that night and take a long shower instead. I enjoyed showering, it was usually a peaceful time for me, but today, it wasn't.

Today, I felt guilty and upset about the way I spoke to Elena. I told myself I wouldn't think of Elena in that way ever again but I'll admit, I was being an asshole. While I can't say it wasn't my intention to come off harsh, I definitely didn't want to make her upset. But like I've said before and I'll say it again just to remind myself, I cannot let my emotions get in the way. I cannot feel, I cannot want. The last time that happened, 37 innocent people were killed…

To not think about that haunting memory, I started planning how tomorrow is going to go down. I had to be extremely cautious and careful while we are in the city. I'm still incredibly suspicious about the massive amount of weaponry and explosives that were imported, but until more intelligence is received, I had to keep it on the back burner. I had just finished showering when I heard Mark and Elena in the hallway.

"I can't believe the way he freaked out earlier!" Elena exclaimed, "He shouldn't have been to so rude you. You were just helping me. Which, by the way, I want to thank you for. I had no idea you were a photographer before all this." I heard Mark laugh confidently.

"It's okay Elena, no harm done. Salvatore is just a fucking basket case. A few months ago, he went crazy. Had a psychotic break or something. He wouldn't leave his tent or speak to anyone."

"What happened?" Elena asked with concern.

"Failed a mission, a lot of casualties. It was his fault though. Anyway, the Suits had to transfer his brother over to get him out of his funk. I feel bad for the guy actually. I guess that's why I just let him treat me the way he does. If it makes him feel better, then so be it." He said honorably. I was trying to refrain from gagging and from kicking the shit out of him. Both were proving to be extremely difficult.

"Wow, that's interesting to say the least," Elena replied quietly, "But that's very noble of you to allow him to bully you like that. You're not as bad as I thought you were." She said with a small laugh. There was a moment silence between them before Elena spoke again. I can imagine them exchanging smiles and my stomach twisted in knots at the thought of it.

"Well, thanks for helping me today, Mark. But I'm exhausted and I need to make sure I have everything packed for tomorrow. Have a good night." She said softly. I could tell she was smiling. I could feel my heart aching. I waited until I could no longer hear them before I left the showers.

**Elena's POV:**

Today was a rather interesting play of events.

Before the training session, I bumped into Mark in the mess hall. He acted differently… he was sweet and very insightful about all that I asked. We were talking for a good twenty minutes before we realized that we were late for training. It's not like we opted to walk together…it just happened. But what I was least expecting was the way Captain Salvatore acted… it didn't hurt me though.

His harsh demeanor and rude tones stung for a second but that changed when I looked into his eyes. I don't know him and he doesn't know me but when I looked into Captain Salvatore's eyes as he was scorning me, I saw regret, I saw guilt, and I saw sadness. I decided to no longer push Captain Salvatore. I went onto my training session and all though it was really successful, I had a major issue with the gun.

It'll be five years since they've passed away in three months. I can't shake their death off of me just yet….

Now and then, I'll think about how perfect life was for Jeremy and I before that fateful night. Even after their death though, I still managed to live life as if it was perfect but constantly and always, there was a gnawing sensation deep inside of me. I know it's best to live on but not forget but I can't help but wonder if they're okay with my decisions and most importantly, if they're proud of me. Wherever they may be, I just hope they look down on Jeremy and I with big smiles.

Mark and I had an interesting conversation tonight about Captain Salvatore. He told me he went through a traumatic experience and that it affects his behavior. I felt sorry for Captain Salvatore and I can completely sympathize with him. After looking over how Captain Salvatore spoke to Mark and I, I came to the realization that whatever had happened with Captain Salvatore, he is still suffering from the effects of it. Captain Salvatore has a case of PTSD; I've read about it in psychology and Caroline immediately sensed it when she laid eyes on it.

"_Elena, do you got a second?" _Caroline asked while I was unpacking. I stopped and listened. _"That Captain, Stefan Salvatore, he… well, he has all of the signs pointing to PTSD. I noticed it in his stance, the way he glares, and the way he speaks. I'm not diagnosing him because I'm not his doctor but just be weary and cautious around him. People with PTSD are a little unpredictable if you say or do something to trigger it."_

I should have remembered that earlier when I was so careless about the time. Captain Salvatore was right about how important it is for us to know about our safety. We are in dangerous territory now. One move and my life could cease to exist.

**THE NEXT DAY:**

I woke up early to prepare to our first day in Baghdad. I got my backpack packed with my extra camera battery, an extra pen and notepad, and a few bottles of water that I grabbed from the mess hall the night before. I dressed in a pair of grey thigh length shorts and a simple tank top and hiking boots. It wasn't my most glamorous look but it was practical.

During our training session yesterday Klaus had give us the option to cover our head with a scarf just to show respect to the Muslim community (and to protect our scalp from the sun) and Caroline, Bonnie and I wholeheartedly agreed. Klaus actually went into the city that night and brought us back scarfs in the most beautiful and exotic colors I've ever seen. Before going into the city though, Klaus pulled me aside and asked what Caroline's favorite color was. I was so happy to know Klaus was beginning to fancy Caroline; she is my best friend and deserves a great guy. So, when Klaus came back with a scarf in emerald green, Caroline's face lit up and she beamed with happiness.

Bonnie and Caroline were ready to exit out room by the time I was finished double-checking that I had everything. Before we were able to open our door, there was a knock on it. I went to open it.

"Hey! Good morning!" Damon said enthusiastically at us with a smile, "Good to know you guys are up and ready. Just one more thing before we actually head into the convoys." He said as he held up bulletproof vests. "Now, you don't have to wear them if you don't want to, but the Big Kahuna is insisting you guys know you can wear them." Damon said apologetically. Caroline, Bonnie and I scoffed in unison. Damon laughed and shook his head. "I figured that would be your reactions, very well then. See you guys out there." He said as he left and took the vests with him.

Before we knew it, we were entering the city limits of Baghdad. Captain Salvatore decided it would be best to walk into the city instead of driving in and he was right. The city streets were flooded with civilians and I never felt more excited. Left and right there were people selling food, trinkets of all sorts, children playing, and people just walking to where they needed to be. Almost everyone we passed looked at us with kind eyes. Everyone seemed to graciously welcome us and they were especially keen on Captain Salvatore.

We reached a stand of fresh fruit and stopped to catch up with the rest of the city. I saw the most delicious carton of melon sitting in a bucket of ice so I decided to buy one for everyone that was with us.

"Good morning," I greeted the older man of the fruit cart, "I'd like to buy all of the melons, please." I asked with a smile. The old man just smiled widely and nodded. He could understand English and I wondered if he could speak it too.

"That will be three American dollars" He said with a heavy accent. I looked at him with disbelief.

"Three dollars? You'll give me all of this fruit for three dollars?" I asked with astonishment. The man looked a little scared but nodded sincerely. I handed him a twenty and told him to keep the rest. He took my hand firmly and shook it with all of his might.

"Thank you so much, Miss. Thank you so much. _Inshallah. Inshallah." _ He still held my hand and grasped it with his other hand ever so gently. I looked at him with amazement and asked if I could photograph him with his fruit stand. He happily agreed and proudly stretched him arms around his display of fruits and looked into the camera with happiness. I showed him the picture on my display screen and he smiled widely.

"I'll give you a copy of it when I return again. What is your name?"

He pointed to himself, "I am Fahim Nadima." He said with a smile. I took his hand again and shook it.

"I am Elena, I will see you again Mr. Nadima." I promised. He bowed his head several times in thanks.

When I turned around to hand out the fruit, everyone just looked at me with bug eyes and astonishment. They were all smiling at me, except for Captain Salvatore.

Elijah walked next to me to help me distribute the fruit. When we were done handing out the fruit to our team and crew, Damon pulled me aside.

"What you did was very generous Elena," He said gently, "You probably just bought his family two weeks worth of food." He politely smiled at his words. I smiled widely in return.

"It was the least I could do Damon, these people… they need all the help we can give them." He nodded in agreement and his blue eyes glistened under the dessert sun.

"You're absolutely right," He agreed, "But let's try not to buy the whole bizarre in one day." He said jokingly. I laughed with him but that stopped when I noticed Captain Salvatore had declined his serving of melon. I was a little insulted that he refused to eat it but then I saw him walk to the children watching us from across the street. Their mouths were watering and they quickly scampered away except for one little boy, who was no older than 6. He bravely stayed behind as Captain Salvatore kneeled to eye level with this little boy and twisted his baseball cap backwards. The boy looked to Captain Salvatore with big eyes and smiled. Stefan was speaking to the boy when he looked at me and smiled again and then down to the fruit. The little boy then scurried over to me and wrapped his frail little arms around my legs in a tight embrace.

"Shukran, Miss E-Lan-A" the boy said sincerely. I knelt down and hugged him properly. He looked into my eyes and smiled again. I let him go and he reunited with Captain Salvatore who was know being dog piled by the rest of the little children who had left earlier out of fear. They were all laughing and Captain Salvatore was playfully growling. I heard the children giggle and squeal as Captain Salvatore got up and started tickling them. He seemed happy and that made me happy. I decided to buy more fruit for the rest of the children. Captain Salvatore caught note of this gesture and nodded at me with a soft smile.

**A/N: Aww, Captain Salvatore! He's so sweet :,) Don't you love how the little boy pronounced Elena's name! So cute. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! We'll continue our day in Baghdad and then some next time ;) **

**Below, I have listed the Arabic words and their meanings. **

_**Inshallah:**_** God's Will, If God is Willing**

_**Shukran: **_**Thank you**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey everyone! So sorry for not updating sooner, I've been super busy but I promise you that this chapter leaves us one step closer that what we are all hoping for ;) Thank you for being patient with me! And as always, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Be sure to follow me on Twitter! **

**Elena's POV:**

We ventured further into the city and everywhere we walked, people were hustling and bargaining with the street vendors. I've never felt so captivated by a city and by a group of people. Everyone was so welcoming, except for a select few but Captain Salvatore looked at me with weary eyes and that's when I knew that they were associated with, or even perhaps themselves, the Taliban. He didn't want to confront them and I completely agreed with that aspect however, a part of me wanted to get to know them… I wanted to know their _personal _motives, not what's televised in the media. I'm not condoning their actions, but I'm just naturally curious since I'm so close to them. We reached the farther end of the city and it become much more desolate. Very few people were out and those were outside, were armed with automatic weapons and knives of all sorts. A man walked angrily at us and starting furiously speaking in Arabic; I didn't understand what he was saying but Captain Salvatore put his hands up in peace as Elijah, Damon, Klaus, and Matt armed their weapons and told us to get behind them. Captain Salvatore was speaking back to them in Arabic – a revelation that shocked and impressed me – and the man seemed to calm down. He was still grilling Captain Salvatore when he looked at me with harmful eyes. Instinctually, Captain Salvatore stepped in front of me to protect me.

"Hey," Captain Salvatore demanded, "Look. At. Me. Not her. Me" He then continued his conversation in Arabic and then man backed away. Everyone was tense and when the man was finally out of site, Damon sighed in relief.

"Damn, I thought we were going to get into a pretty good gun fight," Damon nervously chuckled. Captain Salvatore narrowed his eyes at Damon.

"That man wasn't the enemy. Just an angry civilian." He said emptily. I noticed a change in his demeanor; he was weighed with guilt and sadness after his conversation with that man. I wanted to ask but I could tell Captain Salvatore was in no mood to talk.

"Let's get back to base before sundown," Captain Salvatore quietly ordered. We diverted to the direction we came from. Caroline sheepishly made her way to me and she was happier than usual.

"Wow, that was scary," She whispered, "But Klaus was so protective. He told me he would never let anything happen to me." Caroline was gushing. I smirked at her and she blushed.

"Jeez, Caroline. If I had known any better, I would say you're in love with this man." I said jokingly. Caroline bowed her head a little and looked up at Klaus who was now walking ahead of us. Caroline didn't deny it but she didn't claim it either. She just kept smiling. I decided to capture her candid moment and Caroline swatted her hand at me after she realized what I had done.

"Maybe I'll print this out and give it to Klaus!" I teasingly said. Caroline smiled widely and sighed. Klaus looked back at us when he heard his name mentioned and just shook his head and smiled adoringly at Caroline. Captain Salvatore caught the look and slightly smiled at the two lovers. He then glanced over to me, and furrowed his brows and looked straight ahead.

Speaking of Captain Salvatore, I adored watching him with the children earlier. He seemed at place and it made me think of well of a father he will be once he gets to that point in life. I also wondered who Captain Salvatore will marry, how many children he will have, and if we'll ever cross paths again after my stint here is done. I would like to remain friends with Captain Salvatore. I wouldn't mind being more than just friends either but I shouldn't be thinking like that. _Why was I thinking like that? _Seeing Captain Salvatore play with the children sparked a maternal instinct in me, I almost pleaded with him to "be careful" with them but I didn't because one: they're not my children and two: Captain Salvatore is most certainly not my husband. Still though, I had this incredibly sense of attraction to him even though he had no interest in me. While day dreaming about Captain Salvatore, I had this sudden rush of lightheadedness and everything was starting to get fuzzy. I began stumbling and my speech was slurred as I tried to tell Caroline something was wrong.

"ELENA!" Caroline yelled out in concern. I was falling towards the concrete sidewalk when a pair of green eyes, that were widened with worry, met mine before I bashed my face into the sidewalk and blacked out.

**Stefan's POV:**

I watched Elena collapse into the ground and all that filled me was worry. Had she been shot? I didn't know at that very moment until I rolled her over to check for any gunshot wounds. I lifted her shirt and everything just to make sure. I didn't see any wounds and I felt a little at ease but I still didn't understand what happened. Elena's face was smeared with cuts and bruises, her nose was bleeding but not broken and her right brow bone has been cut open. The men immediately set up a perimeter around us to keep the civilians at bay while Caroline, Bonnie, and I tended to Elena.

"What happened?" I asked Caroline frantically.

"I don't know, we were just talking and she was fine and then she started shaking and her speech with slurred." Caroline mushed out. Bonnie kneeled down to Elena and calmly inspected her.

"She had leukemia. As a result, she developed anemia and when she's dehydrated, low on sugar, or continuously bleeding, she will pass out." Bonnie replied. Caroline looked at Bonnie with disbelief as did I.

"What do you mean she had leukemia?" Caroline angrily questioned. Bonnie looked to Caroline and nodded.

"She got it when you spent a semester in England. It was caught early but she's still recovering from it. We didn't want you to leave and come back home to us. Elena wanted you to enjoy yourself." Bonnie stated. Caroline started to tear up and pressed her lips into a firm line. She looked down to Elena and then back to Bonnie.

I remained stone-faced and neutral but on the inside, I wanted to cry too. Elena had gone through a lot in such a short amount of time… I shouldn't be so hostile to her anymore. I'm not saying that out of Elena's experiences but out of the fact that she doesn't deserve to be treated like crap just because I have issues with getting close to people. I looked to Caroline who was visibly distraught and I decided to have Klaus come and intervene.

"Klaus," I called out, "Take Caroline back to the base." I began but Caroline immediately protested, "So she can set up Elena's bed for her and get her fresh clothes and whatever else she may need." I looked to Caroline and she nodded through tears. Klaus looked at Caroline with concern and wrapped his arm around her for support. I looked to Elena who was still unconscious and tucked away a piece of her hair from her face. Bonnie took note of this and looked at me with spectulation. I cleared my throat and returned to normal.

"We should head back now. Donovan, radio in a chopper. It'll take too long and it's too hot to walk back." I commanded. Matt did so and within the next five minute, a helicopter was hovering over us, ready to take us back to the base. Elena had slightly woken up but she was groggy. I gently placed Elena on a stretcher when she grabbed my hand and looked at me with sleepy eyes. I felt so wonderful yet awful at the same time. I didn't know if Elena just needed to be comforted or she genuinely wanted to hold my hand but I didn't care. Holding her hand was enough for me.

When we returned to base, I wanted to have Elena checked out at the infirmary before she went to her room. The doctor wasn't around so Caroline had to examine her instead. I waited outside of the room when I heard Elena and Caroline talking.

"Elena.. why didn't you tell me?" Caroline pleaded. I could hear Elena sigh.

"I wanted to tell you Car, I really did. But you were across the ocean, you were living your life. I didn't want to disrupt you and your plans. I didn't think it was a big deal." Elena replied.

"This is a big deal," Caroline started, "Elena, you know you could go into remission, especially with an illness like this. You should have told me then. I need to know these things. I feel like you're always protecting everyone because you feel like you have to. You don't and you shouldn't."

"I know Caroline and I'm sorry. I just want everyone to be happy, you know? I don't want to burden anyone with my problems."

"Jesus, Elena. You're always the martyr. You have to stop doing that. You're never going to be happy if you keep that kind of mentality." Caroline honestly said.

"You're right," Elena commented, "So what's the prognosis, doc?" I heard Caroline stifle a laugh.

"Well, your nose is not broken, just bruised and so is your brow bone but other than that, you're alright…. Do you know who the first person was to see if you were okay?" I perked up at this question and began listening intently. Elena remained quiet.

"It was Stefan," Caroline whispered but loud enough for me to intentionally hear, "He seriously looked like he was going to cry." Elena awed and sighed.

"You know, before I passed out, the last thing I saw were his eyes. They're so beautiful Caroline, they are mesmerizing. I feel a rush of comfort when I look at them. I feel lifted by just looking at him." Elena admitted. Caroline squealed a little and Elena told her to hush.

"Oh Elena… you don't know it yet but you will." Caroline happily chimed. Elena laughed.

"Please Caroline, I honestly don't think he has any interest in me." How wrong she was. I had complete interest in her.

"That's where you're wrong Elena, I see the way you two glance at each other. I know we've only been here for like three days but love doesn't care about time. Destiny doesn't wait."

"You think he's falling in love with me?" Yes, Elena, yes I am. Caroline laughed again.

"Yes, Elena. I do. He's molded for you. You can't just see it yet but you will. Give him time. Klaus told me some things about him and he's been through a lot in the past few months. He will open up to you."

"Yeah, Mark told me he had like a psychotic break or something but-"

"Elena Gilbert," Caroline scolded, "Don't say anything like that when you have no idea what happened. Mark has it out for you, he's creepy and seriously disrespectful so he'll say anything to make himself look good. Now, it's not in my place to tell you what happened but until then, don't make any pre-assumptions about Stefan until he tells you the truth."

"Alright, Caroline. But before you interrupted me, I was actually going to say that I didn't believe anything Mark had said anyway." Elena retorted back. There was silence between them for a few seconds. "Where is Captain Salvatore anyway?" Elena asked. I stood perfectly still while I waited for Caroline's answer.

"He dropped you off here and probably went to go do paperwork or something. He said he will come check up on you later." I wanted to go in there now but it wasn't the time to. Elena sighed in disappointment and Caroline laughed again.

I heard them move about in the room and decided it was time for me to leave before they noticed I was creepily standing outside listening to their conversation.

I actually had to do paperwork so I went back to my tent and continued to do that until I looked at the time. It was almost 10 PM and I never went to check on Elena. I felt horrible because she was probably expecting me to come see her. I pulled on my jacket and went to the girls' room to see if Elena had been awake. I saw the light was turned on from underneath the door so I knocked on it. I heard some rustling about and a muttered "shit" before the door was opened.

"Oh!" Elena gasped outloud, "Hi. Captain Salvatore! Sorry. I wasn't expecting anyone." She bashfully said. I just nodded at her with a small smile and she waited for me to say something.

"Oh, huh, yeah," I nervously laughed, "Sorry to show up unexpectedly but I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Elena smiled widely as if she was relieved to know I came like Caroline said I would, and giggled a little.

"Thank you for asking. I'm fine. Just a little drained but I'm okay." She honestly said. "Would you like to come in?" She asked. I shouldn't go in, but I did. Elena walked over to her desk and organized the mess she had sprawled out all over it.

I grabbed one of the photographs she had and it was of Caroline looking at Klaus. I smiled at it. Elena crossed her arms and stood next to me admiring it as well.

"I love that photo," Elena started, "Look how happy she looks!" I looked down to Elena was a smile and she looked up to me with bright eyes.

"You know, Klaus' birthday is coming up… I think this would be a great gift, don't you?" Elena looked surprised at my suggestion. She smiled again and nodded.

"Are you condoning this, Captain Salvatore?" My interpretation of "this" was us but what I really think Elena meant was Klaus and Caroline. I nodded and half smiled.

"I guess I am. I mean you can just tell that they're falling for each other. Look at the way her eyes light up when she sees him. Klaus is a good man, one of my closest friends. I know he won't hurt her." I commented. Elena was taking in every word I said and almost forgot to breathe before she inhaled deeply and laughed again.

"Would you like to see more?" She asked me. I smiled. We sat down on Elena's bed and Elena showed me pictures of all the pictures she's taken up until today and they were all beautiful. Every image was captured in its true form. There was one in particular that caught my attention; it was a picture of Elena and her parents. They were standing on the observation deck of the Rockefeller Center and I spotted myself in the reflection of the glass. I grabbed the photo and inspected it closer and laughed in disbelief.

"What is it?" Elena asked with a smile.

"You're never going to believe this but that's me, right there." I pointed to the reflection of me in the window. Elena went over to her laptop and started pulling up random files. She pulled up one titled "NYC 2009" and clicked on the photo and enhanced the image. She laughed in disbelief and smiled widely.

"Oh my God! That is you!" She shouted in delight, "Wow! What are the chances? I can't get over this!"

"It's crazy isn't it? I was there for the reopening of the Observation Deck. My mom put so much time and money into it and even though she couldn't be there to see it reopen, she was there in spirit." I replied. Elena looked over to me with kind eyes.

"I was there for the ceremony. My mom heard about it and she wanted to go. It was a very beautiful event, by the way. It has to be one of my favorite spots in the city. I was there that weekend because I was visiting NYU." She said with a hint of sadness. She thought I didn't catch on to it, but I did. "But, I can't get over that we were literally there together without knowing it!" Elena perked up, "I just hope that you weren't there to see-"

"To see your dad sing 'New York, New York,' and then proceed to dance with your mom around the deck?!" Elena jumped up and was hysterically laughing and jumping around and so was I.

"OH MY GOD!" She was so red from the memory and from laughing so hard. "I was so embarrassed!" She said through laughing breaths.

"Why?" I asked, "I thought it was one of the most romantic things I've ever seen." I replied. Elena smiled at me and nodded in agreement.

"It was pretty romantic, wasn't it?" Elena looked sad from the memory and I instinctively got up and rubbed her arm.

"It's good to have memories like that, it gives you something to smile about." I quietly said. I didn't realize how close to Elena's face I had gotten until she muttered out a response.

"Yeah, you're right" She whispered. My face was inches away from her as I was leaning in to kiss her when a knock on the doorframe snapped me out of my trance and into reality.

"Well, well, well. What do we have hear?" A sinister voice asked. I knew exactly who it was but what I didn't want to know was why he was creeping around Elena's room at this hour.


End file.
